Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
Authors: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner
A/N: To those who keep pointing out that we aren't seeing much of Goten, I do apologize. He's there, watching with everyone else, I just don't really have much for him to say in some of these scenes. If Dynasty were a manga instead of a written story, I promise he'd be in most crowd shots. Please forgive me for not doing enough to keep up with him here. I promise I have cool stuff planned for him when he eventually rejoins the action.
Chapter 164: Goku vs Yamu
At Korin's Tower…
With a loud-
*POP*
-Raditz arrived onto Korin's Tower, visibly out of breath. "H-Holy crap..."
He shook his head and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "I haven't used this that much in a while..."
Lounging on a futon beneath the Sacred Water's statue, Korin yawned and gave a big stretch. "Maybe that's a sign that you should lay off the hot dogs, eh?"
Raditz frowned. "Shut up, cat. It's comfort food."
Korin stood up with a sigh. "Food doesn't have to be your only source of comfort, ya know? No man is an island on his own, you can come and talk to me just like that mother of yours does."
Raditz looked away, watching as Yajirobe came ambling up the stairs. "Korin felt you coming. Figured you needed Senzus. Got a bag of 'em right here."
As Yajirobe handed Raditz the bag, the Saiyan appeared to be deep in thought. He accepted the bag with a nod of thanks and turned to Korin. "I will... consider it. But there's more important things to address right now."
Korin smirked. "Like those spooks at the tournament arena?"
Raditz flinched. "You know of them?"
Korin motioned him and Yajirobe over. "I know that Goku is about to fight one."
As the two other men came over, Korin removed the canvas lid from a clay pot of water. He disturbed the surface with the tip of his staff and a clear image of the World Martial Arts Tournament ring came into view. Korin, Yajirobe, and Raditz all stood over the water. Korin spoke. "Let's watch and see what happens."
In the tournament ring…
Vale raised his hand into the air and shouted at the top of his lungs. "LET THE SIXTH MATCH BEGIN!"
Goku took on a fighting stance. Yamu, however, remained still. The two warriors both stood in place, staring at one another for several minutes. Goku had no desire to make the first move here. Not that he was scared of Yamu, oh no. He simply wanted to see what this wretched man would do if given the first move. What eventually did happen shocked not only Vale, but Goku as well.
Yamu bowed to the ground and placed his forehead against the tile. "I humbly request your forgiveness, sir!"
Goku flinched. Vale called into the mic. "What is this?! Is Yamu apologizing to Son Goku?! What strange turn of events is this?!"
Yamu continued. "Not just to Son Goku! To the other fighters, to the crowd, to the great champion Mr. Satan, and to that poor girl Videl! Spopovich's behavior was out of line and that girl did not deserve such treatment over a petty grudge!"
The crowd gasped. Vale was visibly unconvinced. Goku's face briefly flinched into something resembling fury before straightening itself out. Yamu cried out. "I CAST ASIDE MY PRIDE AS A MARTIAL ARTIST AND BEG, NO, PLEAD FOR FORGIVENESS!"
While the civilian crowd seemed almost fully taken by Yamu's sudden despair, in both the fighter's waiting area and in the stands, all the Z-Fighters had looks on their face ranging from furious disbelief to out-and-out disgust.
In the ring, Goku finally spoke. "Cut the crap!"
The crowd gave a surprised gasp. Vale, meanwhile, gave a curt nod. Slowly, Yamu began to raise his head. Goku sneered. "I'm not the best with emotions and stuff, sometimes, but I can hear the smile in your voice, you snake! Don't think I'm just going to stand here and let you mock Videl like that!"
Yamu fully raised his head, a filthy smirk and a wicked glint in his eye. He snarled. "And here I thought you were dumb enough to believe me. Just like all those fools in the crowd!"
The crowd began to boo at the sudden insult. Yamu paid them no heed, standing up rather quickly. Goku glared at the ashen warrior with contempt. Yamu gave a shrug. "Good on you for catching me, I suppose."
The smile left Yamu's face. "Truth be told, I don't give a damn that Spopovich beat that worthless brat as badly as he did. I would have let the idiot try to finish the job if it didn't spoil our greater goals."
Goku narrowed his gaze. He briefly considered addressing Yamu's "goals", but then he remembered Piccolo asking for his trust. He motioned Yamu forward. "I don't care about whatever you're ranting about. Come here so we can start our match!"
Yamu gave a sinister chuckle, but stood in place. Goku took a moment to size him up. Going by Yamu's own lifeforce, while certainly stronger than most humans, Mr. Satan would wipe the floor with this guy. And yet there was still something there. It was more carefully hidden than with Spopovich, but Goku could feel it. Like a shadow behind Yamu's Ki, perfectly shaped like the fighter but distinctly separate.
Yamu motioned right back. "What's the hold up? Are you not the former champion, Son Goku? Come at me, why don't you?! March to your death like a good, trained monkey!"
Goku growled under his breath, gripping his wrists as his tail bristled. "All right then! Here I come!"
The Saiyan from Earth tried to spring forward, but immediately fell flat onto his face.
The crowd gasped. All Goku's friends immediately looked concerned. Vale flinched in shock and Yamu began to laugh. "What's the matter?! Trip over your bootlaces?!"
Goku quickly pushed himself up and turned to see his feet still firmly planted to the ground. If he had tried to spring forward with much more strength than he did, he would have probably snapped his own ankles in half. Shakily, he pushed himself back into a standing position.
Yamu cackled and squinted one eye. "Good! On your feet! I was afraid that you might have passed out like that noseless wretch you were hanging around before!"
Ignoring Yamu, Goku glanced down at his feet. At first, he couldn't see anything. But he could feel that something was very wrong indeed. Focusing his vision, the Saiyan soon noticed what appeared to be glowing runes circling around his feet and holding them in place. They looked like chains made of some sort of ancient script. Goku gave his feet a couple cursory tugs and found them unable to move. He groaned. "What the heck did he do to me...?"
In the crowd…
Nam's eyes widened. "I see some form of mysticism at work on Son Goku!"
Everyone turned to him. Goten frowned. "Mysti-what?"
Chika sounded scared. "Is my daddy okay?"
Nam placed his hands atop both children's heads. "Son Goku is quite strong, he should be fine. This is just... unorthodox."
Master Roshi nodded. "I agree. That fool across the ring from Goku don't look worth his weight in turtle dung. But how on Earth does he know magic strong enough to hold Goku in place?"
Back in the ring…
Goku groaned, scratching the back of his head. "This is some magic stuff. Like what Fortuneteller Baba can do..."
Yamu called out. "Magic indeed!"
Goku glared over at the shifty sneak. Yamu grinned from ear-to-ear. "I admit after my loss at the last tournament, I realized the truth. I was never that much of a fighter. So, I decided when being granted my boon that I wouldn't go for overwhelming strength like that moron Spopovich did, I would request a more subversive boost..."
Yamu lifted his finger and wretched runes curled up from it like smoke. "I've used the power granted to me to trap your feet with a sealing spell. And furthermore..."
Yamu snapped his fingers and, all at once, a cage made of flowing magic surrounded the ring. He cackled. "... I have eliminated the danger of being ringed out! Now you, former champion, are trapped and utterly helpless before me!"
The pale ghoul laughed out loud, looking disgustingly pleased with himself. On the sidelines, a bead of sweat dripped down the side of Vale's face. He groaned to himself and lowered his microphone. "This is such a bore..."
Yamu snapped at him. "Hey! Do not forget that you are trapped in here too, worm!"
Vale shrugged. "Whatever. This sucks."
The announcer walked across the ring, sitting down just a few feet from Goku and crossing his legs. "Do you think you can make this entertaining for the crowd?"
Goku shrugged. "No promises."
Yamu stared in disbelief, looking petulant and annoyed. "How dare..."
In the fighter's waiting area…
The Z-Fighters all looked mildly concerned for Goku. Tien crossed his arms. "Using magic trickery in a martial arts tournament. Shameful."
Vegeta scowled. "Who cares? This insect isn't worth the effort it would take to swat. Kakarot is in no danger at all."
Behind the Z-Fighters, Shin spoke up. "I sincerely hope that your friend knows how to hold back. I do not wish to interfere, but I will step in if it seems like he is taking things too far."
Piccolo stared out into the ring. "I wouldn't, if I were you. You might find Goku harder to restrict than you think."
Kibito's sneer deepened. Krillin looked from Piccolo and then to Shin, confused. Android 18 scowled. "Seriously! What the hell is going on?!"
In the crowd, the Champion's throne…
With nowhere else to go, Mr. Satan found himself slogging back to his meaningless chair. With the thought of his daughter's tragically limited life lying before her, Mr. Satan couldn't make himself care about what was happening here anymore. He genuinely just wanted to grab Videl and Hiki and go home. And never leave again. They could have the stupid belt.
Upon flopping into his chair, however, Mr. Satan looked out into the ring and saw Son Goku. He was fighting the partner of that bastard who had hurt his little girl. Mark sat up straight, gripping his fists and clenching his teeth. He seethed under his breath, his glare hardened steel. "Break that son of a bitch..."
Back in the ring…
His arrogant pride injured, Yamu began to attack from a distance. The ghoulish warrior aimed both hands at Goku and began firing blasts one at a time. The warrior cackled, firing a dozen attacks that peppered across Goku's entire body, hitting him in the chest, both arms, and both legs twice each. He fired an eleventh blast that arched over Goku and flew straight into his back. And then he fired the twelfth right at Goku's face. After the final blast hit, Goku's head tipped down, smoke rising from his face.
Yamu howled in triumph, laughing so loud it drowned out the roaring disdain of the crowd. He shouted and started firing more blasts. "Shut up! I don't care! To hell with all of you!"
The ghoul was living his dream. The dream of tournament success that he felt was robbed from him all those years ago. He was showing everyone his power, one energy blast at a time. He was going to cement his legacy with the destruction of this orange-clad fool!
Watching as smoke billowed all around Goku's body, Yamu raised both hands into the air and charged a massive, final blast. "THIS IS THE END!"
Yamu shot the blast forward, aiming it directly at the only bit of Goku he could see through all the smoke, the chest. The attack drew closer and closer and Yamu cheered with delight. "FALL TO MY ULTIMATE ATTACK!"
And then, with no more than a casual effort, Goku raised his hand up and caught Yamu's ultimate attack. The impact wasn't overly hard, just enough to blow the smoke away and reveal that Son Goku didn't have a scratch on him. He cocked his head. "I guess that was a good warmup. At least I know what you're all about now..."
Yamu flinched. "Wha-?! Y-You..."
He snarled. "Don't act so damned cocky! So you managed to defend?! So what?! You're still trapped, and I can still-"
Goku shot a single Kiai from his palm, demolishing Yamu's blast and sending an iron weight directly into the ghoulish warrior's stomach. Yamu slid back on his heels, smashing into his own barrier and shattering it apart with the impact. As the magic dispersed, Yamu fell to his knees. He wheezed and blood splattered out of his mouth.
Vale was quickly on his feet. "Yamu is down! One! Two! Three!"
Yamu knelt there, wheezing and groaning as he tried to figure out what had just happened. There's no way that this guy, even with the strength Yamu could feel radiating off him, could have taken him down so easily. There was just no way!
Vale cried out. "Nine!"
Yamu quickly snapped back to his feet. Vale sighed and dropped back into his sitting position. "Great. So close..."
The ashen warrior snarled. He was going to break that snidely little announcer's neck before he left this island. He swore it. But the announcer was not the issue at the moment. Yamu turned his attention back to Goku and started to speak... but then stopped in his tracks.
Goku was just... staring at him.
And what was that expression on his face? Was it...disdain? Disgust...? Pity...? PITY?!
Yamu roared at the top of his lungs, his borrowed power flaring out and seeming to leave a foul stench across the ring. At least, it appeared that way from the way Goku's nose wrinkled. Yamu snarled. "I refuse to be pitied! How dare you look at me like that?!"
Watching as Yamu got going again, Goku turned to Vale. "Hey. Get out of the ring. I don't want him to hurt you while aiming for me."
Vale gave a nod, standing and shooting a salute. "Yes, sir!"
As the announcer fled, Yamu began circling around Goku, firing out hundreds of ineffective Ki blasts as he strafed the superior martial artist. Goku sighed, not bothering to block most of them, but swatting a few of them away from his face. Yamu was raging like a rabid dog, screaming at Goku. "HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME AS SOMEONE TO LOOK DOWN UPON?! I AM POWERFUL, DAMN YOU! MY MASTER MADE ME POWERFUL!"
Goku crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes. "I feel sorry for you..."
Yamu briefly halted, his Ki blast assault stopping. And then, with a howl of rage, shot toward Goku's back with his fist drawn. "YOU FEEL BAD FOR ME?! HOW ABOUT YOU FEEL BAD FOR THAT HOPELESS LITTLE CRIPPLE SOBBING IN HER BED?!"
And then the air in the ring changed. Yamu was shooting toward Goku, his fist drawn for what he was sure was a powerful punch. Except, something was slowly overtaking that.
As the wretched little man drew closer and closer, he couldn't explain what he was seeing. But it was as if Son Goku was growing. Taller and taller and taller until his presence seemed to loom over the entire ring. Over the entire world, even. Time was slowed around Yamu as Goku turned to look at him, his face gentle but his eyes alive with a fury that Yamu couldn't describe.
Goku spoke in a low tone. "What did you just say?"
Yamu had no time to respond as, quite suddenly, Goku's fist plowed into the side of his head and drove him down into the ring. Hard.
Down, down. Deeper and deeper. The tile and the very structure of the ring split apart into a massive spider-web shape, shattering like glass against the force of the strength pressing against. It continued on until, just barely, the other side of Yamu's head grazed the raked dirt between the tile platform.
The bindings around Goku's feet snapped like cheap twine and he pulled his fist up, his knuckles bloody. Yamu laid there in a massive crater, a new fist-shaped dent in the side of his head, his eyes white. He was totally unresponsive.
Ever vigilant, Vale hopped into the now destroyed ring and got to work. He gave Yamu's limp leg a kick and watched it flop. Then, he produced a handkerchief from his pocket and held it under Yamu's nose, watching the fabric ripple from the bastard's shaky breaths. Vale lifted Yamu and saw the fresh dirt stuck to the side of his face. He dropped the ghoul and then brandished his mic. "Ladies and gentlemen! The winner of the sixth match: SON GOKU!"
All at once, the crowd erupted into a roaring cheer! The applause and the foot-stomping was almost enough to make the entire arena shake. As they all broke out into a rousing round of chanting Goku's name, the Saiyan from Earth turned his attention to one person in the crowd in particular. Goku and Mr. Satan locked eyes and Goku nodded, shooting the champ a friendly thumbs-up.
After a moment's hesitation, Mr. Satan nodded back and returned it.
Satisfied, Goku turned and began his walk out of the ring. As he did, Spopovich suddenly leapt into the fray. Vale flinched back in shock, but Spopovich didn't care about him. He flung Yamu's unconscious weight over his shoulder and then turned his fury to Goku. Without thinking, Spopovich raised his hand and charged a Ki blast.
The crowd began to panic. Vale shouted into the mic, threatening to have Spopovich disqualified. However, the brute didn't hear anybody over the quiet sound of Goku's voice. "Try me."
Spopovich flinched. And then, having a rare moment of lucid intelligence, he quickly beat a hasty retreat.
Once the bald brutes were well out of sight, Vale sighed in relief. And then he raised his mic and addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen! We are now entering our second scheduled intermission of the day! To give our ring crew time to fix the now-destroyed ring, we will also be extending this break to 1 hour in length! We will see you soon for the final two matches of the first round!"
With that announcement out of the way, Vale quickly sprinted from the ring and caught up to Goku. The Saiyan looked guilty. "S-Sorry. I know we promised not to destroy the ring..."
Vale chuckled. "I'm not worried about it. That was worth breaking the ring over. And, while it's getting fixed, I get to do something I've wanted to do for years..."
Goku cocked his head. "And that would be?"
Vale smiled. "Why, treating you and your friends to lunch, of course."
Goku smiled back. "That's awfully nice of ya~"
In the crowd, the champion's throne…
Watching as Son Goku disappeared back into the fighters' waiting area, Mr. Satan lowered his head, his eyes locked onto the ground in shame.
Back at Korin Tower…
Upon seeing his brother's victory, a small genuine smile spread across Raditz's face. He sighed. "Well, I guess I better get back to the tournament grounds..."
Korin nodded, walking over to a collection of clay jars on the other side of the tower. "You also came here to ask me something, right?"
Raditz nodded back. "I did. But you basically answered my question when I landed. I... suppose I should talk to someone about...things."
Korin cackled. "Quite so!"
Yajirobe scratched at his ever-growing beard. "You came here to ask Korin about therapy? I thought you'd be askin' about the weird premonitions he's been havin' about evil warlocks and demons and shit!"
Raditz shot Yajirobe a sideways glance. "Nope. I'm not blind, Yajirobe. I could have spotted those two ghouls at the tournament from a mile away. And, of course, they're only the opening act. It's gonna be a long day..."
Korin padded up to Raditz. "Precisely why I gave you every ripe Senzu I've got. And I'm sure your mother has a few stashed away to replace the one you're giving to Gohan's girl."
The wise, old cat reached up, offering a small envelope to Raditz. The older brother took it and looked inside, seeing a sachet of tea with a heavy, herbal smell. Raditz cocked his head. "Tea?"
Korin nodded. "Tea for spiritual awakening. To help the girl to regain some confidence."
The Saiyan nodded. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the consideration."
Korin sighed. "And, finally, one last word of warning. Yajirobe spoke of my premonitions with some humor in his voice, but I really must stress that something about the wind today just doesn't feel right. The sunrise this morning was dyed with the colors of misfortune. Please, all of you be careful..."
Raditz was silent for a moment. Contemplative. And then, he gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for your sage advice, Master Korin."
And then with a-
*POP*
-Raditz was gone.
Back on the tournament grounds…
As the Z-Fighters and Vale made their way to the dining hall, they came upon a face that had quickly come to miss. Gohan was lumbering down the cobblestone path, his sunglasses gripped in one hand and his bandana entirely lost. The boy's eyes were visibly pink, red-rimmed from emotion. Without asking, Android 18 walked up and grabbed him into a tight hug. Krillin gave him a gentle pat on the back.
Despite it all, Gohan managed a small smile. He glanced over at Piccolo, Tien, and a visibly drowsy Android 17 all of whom gave him a respectful nod. Even Vegeta shot him a small, kind wave. His father, standing next to Vale, smiled wide. "I won. And it's your turn next."
Gohan's smile widened a bit more. He spoke, his voice hoarse. "Definitely."
Gohan scratched the back of his head. "Are you guys walking to the dining hall? Cuz I could go for something to eat. Videl fell asleep in Erasa's lap and I just... I don't know what to do now. Ms. Komori asked me, Erasa, and Sharpner to leave so Videl could rest. The two of them went off back to the stands and I've kinda just... been wandering around..."
Vale frowned, walking up to Gohan and giving him a firm clap on the shoulder. "I assure you, my friend, Videl is in everyone's thoughts. Now, why don't you join us? I'm treating your father and your friends to a nice lunch. You are more than welcome to come along~"
With a small, thankful nod, Gohan began to follow the group.
In the dining hall…
The scene in the dining hall was insane. The monks delivering the meal stared in awe as all the food they brought seemed to disappear into a massive, swirling vortex of clenching teeth and smacking gums. Vale sat off to the side, enjoying a medium-rare steak and garlic parmesan fries, genuinely in awe that two more appetites like those of Son Goku could possibly exist.
And yet, Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan were all demolishing food in a three-way race for voracious supremacy. He turned to Krillin. "This isn't an illusion, right?"
Krillin chuckled and gave a shrug, making sure to keep his pasta just out of reach. "You get used to it. Saiyans are scary at any food table."
Vale nodded, taking a bite of his steak. "Saiyans, eh? I've heard you use that term quite a bit since you've arrived here. What does it mean?"
Tien flinched as he reached for a second helping of rice. "Uh..."
17 put down his hamburger. "What do we get out of keeping a secret from this guy? Might as well tell him."
Vale was intrigued. "Tell me what?"
17 smirked. "Here's a whopper for ya: except for Tien and Krillin, everyone you've invited to lunch is either a space alien or a cyborg..."
18 chimed in between bites of her chili dog. "My brother and I are the only cyborgs."
Despite the reaction 17 was hoping for, Vale barely reacted at all. He gave a small chuckle and continued to enjoy his steak. "Makes sense. I guess that explains the golden hair and giant monkey transformations."
Four more platters of food came out of the kitchen and were immediately set upon by the three ravenous Saiyans. Piccolo crossed his arms in disgust. Vale spoke to him. "Not a fan of the food here?"
Piccolo shook his head. "My kind does not require food to sustain ourselves. However..."
He grabbed an apple, a tangerine, and two bananas. "I have learned to appreciate certain aspects of eating."
Piccolo set into his fruit, leaning back as the monks carried away five trays of empty dishes, some of them licked to an almost spotless condition. He finished one of his bananas in four bites and then thrust his claws into the skin of his tangerine. He was the first to notice the approaching footsteps. Piccolo turned toward the entrance to the restaurant and gave a dissatisfied grunt. "Oh. You."
Everyone else turned toward the door. Vale gasped. "M-Mr. Satan?!"
Mr. Satan stood in the doorway, a grim frown on his face and his eyes glued to the floor. Not seeing anything of interest, the Z-Fighters went back to their individual meals, 18 putting aside her empty chili dog plate and tucking right into a mint chocolate chip sundae. Vale stood. "W-Would you like to join us for lunch, Mr. Satan? My treat, and-"
The champ raised his hand. "Thank you, Vale, but no thank you. Would you please go into the back and keep all the others back there until someone comes and gives you the all-clear?"
Vale's smile slowly faded. He read the room very quickly and nodded. "Y-Yes, sir! Of course!"
The announcer grabbed his steak and plate of fries and quickly ran into the back. Once he was gone, Mr. Satan approached the table. Not one of the Z-Fighters paid him any mind. At least, not until he placed his hand onto the table, palm down, right next to Goku's elbow. Goku looked up at him. "Sup?"
Mr. Satan took a deep, shaky breath. And then he answered. "Your angry-lookin' friend in the blue there... he was able to make his hair turn gold while he was fighting earlier. Can you... can you do that too?"
Goku nodded, tipping an entire bowl of ramen into his mouth. "Mhm!"
Mr. Satan waited for him to finish. Then, before Goku could reach for something else, he spoke again. "Please show me."
Goku paused, turning and looking at the champ. Mr. Satan's face was stone-serious. The Saiyan nodded and then stood up. He turned toward Mr. Satan and smiled. Then, with a burst of power, Goku erupted into golden flames and his hair stood upright. He was a Super Saiyan!
Mr. Satan didn't flinch. He just stared into the eyes of this golden ghost from his past with an increasing look of misery. Mr. Satan spoke in a quiet voice. "You're related to that Raditz guy, right?"
Goku nodded. "Yup. He's my big brother~"
Mark clenched his fists. "That brother of yours jumped in to save my daughter. And you avenged her when that other bald bastard was badmouthing her."
Goku nodded with a smile, grabbing a meat bun as Vegeta started to reach for it and taking a bite. "Yup. Videl's my buddy~"
Mark smiled, but then it quickly collapsed into a deep frown. He took a deep breath and spoke. "I... remember the day of the Cell Games. You were there. And you would've killed Cell right then, right there. Except... my dumb, bumbling ass got in your way. Then that older fella who looked like you died. And then that poor kid snapped..."
On the other side of the table, Gohan flinched and put on his sunglasses. Mark continued. "And then Cell tried to explode and kill us all and you took him away. And then when he came back... that boy slayed the monster and saved the world..."
Mark took a deep breath that ended in a shuddering sob. "... and I took all the credit for it."
Goku's smile didn't fade. "Yep. That's about what happened~"
There was a long, pregnant silence. Everyone had stopped eating. Mark spoke in a low whisper. "Is... that boy here today?"
Vegeta spoke first. "No."
Piccolo followed up. "He was never the type to enjoy the spotlight. He told us to bring a DVD of the tournament home for him."
Mark looked over at the other Z-Fighters. None of them looked too impressed with him. A few of them stared at him like some kind of undesirable insect. He gave a short, resigned sigh. And then, surprising everyone in the room, the world champion got down on his hands and knees and spoke from within the depth of his soul. "I am so, so sorry for what I did. For taking the credit, for preventing you from defeating Cell, for..."
Mark pictured the look on his wife's face the last time he saw her alive and the tears broke, streaming down his face. "... for everything."
As Mark knelt there, shaking in place under the scornful gaze of an entire group of people he'd wronged, Goku adopted a gentle smile. "I mean...it's not a problem. I don't have any ill-will against you. For me, fighting ain't about fame or glory, after all. It's just about seeing if you can be better than you were before. And I think you showed you were better when you stepped in to protect my son, even though Cell woulda flattened you."
Mark felt every inch of his body tighten. He swallowed a lump in his throat with an audible click. And then, with a curt nod, he got up and took his leave as quickly as he had shown up.
Once the champ was gone, Krillin looked around the room. "That was pretty out-of-the-blue, huh? Weird..."
Everyone else shrugged and went back to their meal. Goku turned toward the kitchen, his Super Saiyan form fading, going to retrieve Vale. "I mean, he kinda did us a favor. None of us wanted the paparazzi to be on our doorsteps, right?"
Vegeta spoke between bites of food. "Their funeral."
Almost everyone shared a good laugh at that. But, as Goku exited and everyone else began to joke around, Gohan set his fork down. And he folded his hands in quiet contemplation.
Over in a lonely corner of the tournament grounds…
Spopovich was in a blind panic as he shook Yamu with all his strength. A shrill chime rang out in the background as the lumbering oaf began to beg. "Wake up, Yamu! Wake up! Don't make me talk to him by myself! He scares me!"
Yamu didn't stir. Spopovich clenched his teeth, his eyes wild with fear. And then, he quickly pressed the answer button. "Sir, Mister Master Da-uh... sir! How are you! We're-"
Both brands on Spopovich and Yamu's heads glowed a volcanic red. Spopovich shrieked with agony and Yamu, from dead unconscious, shot up to his feet and screamed. Both thugs fell onto their backs, rolling around in pain. On the other end of the communicator, the devilish voice sounded happily amused. "Spopovich. Yamu. I have some good news..."
Their heads still on fire, the two ghouls turned toward the communicator. The voice spoke with a drawn-out cadence. "Your request has been granted. Our soothsayer has foreseen which warrior you are meant to target for your task~"
And so, the demonic growl on the communicator began to speak, neither it nor Spopovich nor Yamu was aware of the hidden eyes of Shin watching from a safe, but nearby distance.
In the medical building…
Hiki Komori sat in her silent vigil, watching over the slumbering Videl like a mother hawk. She was silently working on a pair of knitted socks, figuring that even if Videl could no longer feel her feet, that she would at least appreciate the gesture of keeping them warm.
As she continued, Hiki heard the door click open and closed and lifted her head to see Raditz standing there. She didn't recognize him at first, but it quickly clicked in her head that this was the man who had stepped in to save Videl from that hateful brute. Hiki gave a respectful nod. "Good afternoon."
Raditz nodded and gave a wave. "Good afternoon to you as well. I needed to speak to Videl real quick, please."
Hiki sighed, putting down her knitting. "The sentiment is appreciated, but Videl is asleep at the moment."
Raditz chuckled. "No, she's not."
Hiki flinched. Raditz glanced over at the apparently slumbering teenager. "I can feel you, ya know? What are you doing over there?"
There was a silent moment. Hiki almost started to ask Raditz to leave when, to her shock, Videl's eyes popped open. "S-Sorry... I wasn't trying to blow you off. I was... trying to focus on something..."
Raditz approached her. "Yeah? Tell me about it."
Videl licked her lips. "...I was trying to focus my Ki like when I fly, testing to see if I could use it to puppet my dead legs."
Raditz pursed his lips, nodding. "Very creative. Very. Unfortunately, doing that would require some higher-level telekinetic prowess to get any real use out of it. And I don't think you have any real affinity for that, sorry to say."
Videl sighed. "Yeah. I'm having no luck..."
Raditz smirked. "But what you're doing has another trick you should keep in mind... flooding your body parts with Ki like that..."
Hiki was utterly confused. Videl turned to Raditz. "Oh?"
Raditz walked up to Videl's bedside, grabbing one of Hiki's knitting needles. "Focus your Ki sense on my arm."
Videl nodded, obeying. Raditz rolled up his sleeves, smiled at the girl, and then, without hesitation, stabbed the needle right into his flesh. Videl flinched. Hiki cried out. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Raditz chuckled to Hiki and held up his hand, asking her to stop. "Please, just wait."
He then turned his attention back to Videl. "Remember, keep your senses focused on my energy."
Videl still did as she was told, watching as Raditz raised the needle and stabbed it down at his arm again. This time, just before the needle struck his flesh, Videl felt the older man's energy well all throughout his arm. This time, when the needle struck the flesh, it didn't pierce. The needle snapped in half. Videl's eyes went wide.
Raditz chuckled. "Flooding Ki all throughout your body like that is like installing body armor under your skin. Prevents the types of injuries that would land you in the hospital, so long as you're strong enough. Think of it as a battle between respective Kis. The stronger one wins. So at the very least, this trick will reduce the impact on you from a stronger foe."
Hiki was gobsmacked, but then she gave a quick shake of her head. "Sir, you need to go away."
Raditz didn't hear her. He reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket and produced two Senzus and the tea sachet. He popped one of the beans into his mouth and then placed the other bean and the tea on Videl's bedside table. "Experimental super foods from my company. They promote quicker healing through super-nutrition and help to reduce mental fatigue."
Videl reached over, grabbing the bean. "Just one...?"
Raditz nodded. "Just crunch it. You'll be back on your feet in no time. And-"
That comment got Hiki on her feet. All 5 feet and 3 inches of the poor woman marched up to the man who loomed over her and she glared at him. "Sir. You need to leave right now."
Raditz stopped mid-sentence. He looked down at Hiki Komori, standing there without her cane, her bum leg quivering under what little weight she had. And yet, she stood firm in defense of Videl. Raditz nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
And then, without another word, Raditz turned and exited the room.
Hiki groaned, stumbling back and falling into her chair, immediately rubbing her thigh where Cell's attack had snapped her femur in half. "I swear, it was just the same when I was hurt. Some people have no tact..."
Videl smiled. "Love you, Hiki."
Hiki smiled back. "Love you too, kid. We'll work through this together~"
And then, to Hiki's shock and horror, Videl popped the strange bean that Raditz left behind into her mouth and crunched it between two of her good teeth. Hiki cried out. "V-VIDEL! SPIT IT OUT NOW! DON'T JUST EAT STRANGE THINGS LIKE THAT!"
Videl smiled wide. "It's okay, Hiki. It's Gohan's uncle. He-"
Hiki's eyes went wide. Videl flinched. "Wh-What...?"
It took a moment, but eventually Hiki managed to speak. "... Your teeth are back."
Videl went dumb. She knew for a fact that Hiki wouldn't joke about something like that. She reached up slowly, lolling her tongue around in her mouth and feeling something rattling around. She spat into her palm and found a small pile of broken tooth shards. Then, Videl jammed her fingers into her mouth and felt around. Every single tooth was right back where it belonged. She flinched. "But..."
And then, to Videl's amazement, something even more miraculous happened. She looked down at the blanket, drawing it back and staring at her feet. "Hiki..."
Hiki didn't speak. She stood and hobbled over to Videl's bed. Videl turned to her. "My... My feet are itchy..."
Both women couldn't find the words, watching as Videl moved her legs, under her own power, and stood up from bed without the slightest sign of pain or instability. And then, Videl rapidly began to remove bandages, uncaring if Hiki of all people saw anything. She checked the burn from Spopovich's attack, she poked at her previously shattered nose, she even poked where the gunshot scar was and, although the scar was still there, found that it didn't ache at all. Videl spoke quietly under her breath. "Holy shit..."
Meanwhile, Hiki grabbed the tea sachet from the table. "I... I think I'm going to brew you a cup of tea now..."
In the tournament ring…
Vale was cheerful as he shouted into the mic. "Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all ready, because the contestants are in and Match #7 of the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament is underway!"
He motioned to the contestant on the left. "On this side of the ring, we have Spike the Devilman! A two-time champion of the World Martial Arts Tournament! Spike was born in the Demon World, but rose from his hellish abode to make his mark on the mortal realm! A powerful fighter with a vicious edge, few who have crossed Spike in the wild have lived to tell the tale! And yet, for all his ferocity in battle, Spike is a true warrior with a great sense of honor!"
As the crowd cheered, Vale turned to the other competitor. "And on the other side, we have Mighty Mask! The noble, masked protector of North City! In the middle of a rampage, a gang war between several rival factions 10 years ago, Mighty Mask emerged to quell it! Silencing the furious rampage of the Yakuza, Inter-Gang, and the Purple Dragons, Mighty Mask is a true defender against injustice wherever it may rear its ugly head! Now, he is here to test his might against true martial arts challengers!"
The crowd cheered again and Mighty Mask struck several awkward poses. A bead of sweat ran down the side of Spike's face. "His body is... out of sync..."
Vale nodded to both warriors and they took their fighting stances. He raised his microphone. "Contestants... BEGIN!"
Immediately, the masked hero took off and was right in Spike's face, fist drawn. The small, cherub-like grin behind the oversized cowl cackled. "You're in waaaay over your head, Devil Guy~"
Spike scoffed, deflecting the oncoming punch, and scowling. "You may be a self-styled superhero, but the fiend shall win this day~"
The Devilman leaped back, and Mighty Mask chuckled, striking several inane poses with only his upper body. "No way! Evil will never prevail against an almighty hero! You're gonna taste justice and-"
There was the sound of a punch and Mighty Mask cried out in pain. Another voice whisper-yelled. "Quit being an idiot. It's difficult enough to stay steady as is."
Mighty Mask whispered back. "Sorry..."
Spike was taken aback. "What...?"
Before he could really think about what he was witnessing, Spike was on the defensive. Mighty Mask charged and threw two more punches, both of which Spike dodged. The Devilman took to the air and then shot back at his foe, bringing down a heavy double-fisted hammerstrike. The hero smirked, easily catching both fists. The legs below followed that up with a kick to the gut that sent Spike skidding toward the edge of the ring.
The Devilman hissed, rubbing his bruised abs beneath his suit. "So much power for such disproportionately small limbs..."
He thrust his hands forward and shouted. "Demon Death Dance!"
A barrage of screaming Ki blasts in the shape of bats fired out of Spike's palms. They curved around Mighty Mask, encroaching the hero and trying to make contact. Immediately, Spike's target shot into the air, dodging and avoiding the blasts with relative ease. The blasts went for a second pincer attack and this time, Mighty Mask wasn't so lucky. One of the bats bit onto his arm and exploded at once. Spike laughed. "Careful! If they touch you, they will explode!"
The hero flew from the cloud of smoke, his cape damaged. Mighty Mask spoke to himself. "Dammit. That attack is cool. The explosion. The shape. If he wasn't directing them like some stupid RC toy, they'd be super cool..."
His legs chastised. "Could we focus! Blow them up so we can win this!"
Nodding, Mighty Mask rotated in the air and fired a dozen Ki blasts, destroying all of the energy bats in one fell swoop. He rolled back over to target Spike, but was shocked to see the Devilman no longer there. "Wha-"
Suddenly, to the hero's surprise, Spike appeared behind him, grabbing the unproportional champion into a tight full nelson. Spike flapped his wings, quickly flipping them both upside down and rocketing toward the ground. "Let us see you spring back from this!"
As they crashed toward the ground, Spike began to notice something concerning. "...why are you so flexible? It is as if your spine bisects in the middle of your back. Your legs are so out of sync with-"
A lump in Mighty Mask's chest suddenly shifted up and Spike felt as if he had just been kicked under the jaw. The Devilman yelped in surprise, only for a massive lump from Mighty Mask's stomach to seemingly headbutt him in the stomach. The demon gagged in surprise, unloosing his hold on his foe.
In the crowd…
Master Roshi looked around at his fellow spectators, seeing nothing but looks of confusion and disgust on the various adults' faces, as well as the faces of Gohan's two teenage friends. Then he looked down and saw nothing but knowing looks on the faces of Goten, Chika, Bulla, Marron, Koriocha, Muffin, and Socks.
The Turtle Hermit chuckled to himself and glanced back up at the fight. "Kids. Their imagination always allows them to better see what's going on~"
Gine smiled, a knowing look in her eyes as well. "Right?"
Back in the ring…
Hovering in the air, Mighty Mask fired off a barrage of punches into Spike's upper body before sending him flying with an uppercut. The Devilman quickly steadied himself with a vicious snarl, readying himself as Mighty Mask charged at him again. Spike sidestepped the attack and then responded with a furious kick of his own, right into Mighty Mask's stomach.
A distinctly feminine voice cried out. "Ow! He kicked me in the damn nose!"
Mighty Mask himself seemed unfazed, shooting a Kiai that sent Spike falling back. He quickly recovered and noticed two small dabs of blood just ever so slightly hidden by Mighty Mask's belt. He could hear the hero whispering. "Are you okay? It is bad?"
Spike cringed. "What the hell is this freak...?"
Springing into action, Spike whipped his tail at Mighty Mask, wrapping it around the hero's neck and swinging him toward the ground for a powerful slam. The hero plummeted downward. But then, to Spike's horror and disgust, his opponent folded in half like a table. The feet landed firm and upright while the head slammed into the ring. Mighty Mask cried out in pain before quickly going upright once more.
Spike cringed. "What in the name of God...? Is he hypermobile?"
Now just wanting the match over, Spike shot down to his foe with a flying kick to the face. Mighty Mask stumbled back, but quickly rushed back in for a brawl. A furious exchange of blows took place with Spike quickly on the backfoot. It almost felt like he was fighting two people at moments.
The Devilman threw a wild haymaker, watching with disdain as Mighty Mask seemed to just fold out of the way. He sneered. "I'll teach you to disrespect the Devilman!"
He elbowed Mighty Mask in the back of the neck, and then swept his feet. This seemed to confuse the masked cretin and Spike followed that with a furious kick that sent the hero flying toward the edge of the ring. Things seemed to look dire for Mighty Mask, until the hero vanished from sight. Spike flinched. "What?!"
And then, just as quickly, he received a furious elbow to the ribs. Spike skidded back, sputtering so hard he was blowing a raspberry. He groaned in pain, feeling a pulsing bruise over his aching ribs. Before he could react, however, Mighty Mask came flying in again with a heavy kick to the stomach. Spike's eyes bulged out and he doubled over, trying not to throw up.
The Devilman shakily looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "H-How! That is what I can't figure out! How do you work?! Your body makes no sense! What the hell are you?!"
He gurgled. "I am landing more blows... and yet... you..."
Mighty Mask planted his fist into... right about where his pectorals should have been, and laughed out loud. "It's a victory for Mighty Mask!"
Spike's face twisted into a mask of utter fury. "ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!"
The Devilman thrust both hands forward, two fingers extended on each. He cackled. "I know the tournament doesn't allow killing, so face the terror of my half power Devilmite Beam!"
The beam shot forward at a rapid speed. Mighty Mask cried out. "Shoot!"
And then he took to the air, his lower half getting hit by the entirety of the attack. Mighty Mask smirked. "Hmph! That loser! That beam wasn't even strong enough to-"
A ghastly moan rang out from below. Trunks looked down and his voice was instantly full of panic. "Ranch?!"
In the lower half, Ranch continued to moan. She tightly gripped her head, fighting the urge to throw up. "It hurts..."
Trunks called down. "What's wrong?! What..."
Ranch sobbed. "It hurts. D-Daddy... M-Mommy..."
A vein bulged from Trunks' forehead. On the ground, Spike laughed out loud. "My half-power Devilmite Beam might not kill, but it does debilitate! It brings forth the worst fears, emotions, and anxieties from the victim and uses those to-"
Before Spike could finish, a lead weight wrapped in a yellow glove smashed into his face, breaking his jaw and knocking him out cold. Spike flopped to the ground like a dead fish and Vale cried out. "AMAZING! A KNOCKOUT!"
After a quick check to make sure Spike wasn't dead, Vale raised his hand in celebration. "The victor of the 7th match in the 25th World Martial Arts tournament, in a surprise upset against a two-time champ: MIGHTY MASK!"
But then, to Vale's shock, rather than stand there and absorb the cheers from the crowd, Mighty Mask flew off, jumping the fence and disappearing from sight. Vale was taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "I... guess he's just excited for the 8th match of the first round to get underway! Who else is excited for the final match?!"
The crowd roared in approval and Vale smiled wide. To his pleasure, the tournament was going off without a hitch.
In the crowd…
Not even 2 minutes after Mighty Mask stormed out of the ring, Raditz returned to the group and sat down next to his wife, giving Blonde Launch a kiss and a small smile. She smiled back. "Where have you been?"
Raditz sighed. "Went to check on a cat. Get some beans."
Roshi nodded. "I see. How is everyone down there in the fighter's area? Are they having similar feelings about the course of today?"
Raditz patted his breast pocket and nodded. "I didn't grab all of these for nothing..."
Bulla glared over at Raditz, annoyed that he had bothered to return. And then, she stood and turned to her mother. "I'm going to the potty! I'll be back!"
As Bulla ran off, Bulma called after her. "If any strange people try to bother you, kick the crap out of them!"
In the fighter's waiting area…
Krillin stared out the back entrance of the fighter's waiting area, watching Mighty Mask continue to retreat until eventually disappearing. He frowned. "I hope that guy is okay. He's weird, but that was a pretty dangerous technique Spike hit him with..."
Android 18 watched as the tournament monks came marching through, the thoroughly unconscious Spike laying on a stretcher. "Best not to worry about the irrelevant. Maybe that fruit cake will drop out and save us some time next round."
The power couple both turned and joined the rest of the Z-Fighters in watching Gohan warm up. He had forgotten his sunglasses back at the restaurant and he was sure they were gone, so he was preparing for the fight, fully aware that his identity as Saiyaman was as good as spoiled. But, given everything that had happened so far today, he wasn't sure that he really cared anymore. Videl's condition and Mr. Satan's words both floated around in his mind. He had almost totally forgotten about the strange presence that was Kibito.
Gohan turned to his friends and smiled. "This is my first real tournament match, Cell Games notwithstanding. I hope you're all wishing me luck..."
Krillin chuckled. "What do you need luck for, man? You're one of the strongest people here!"
Goku smiled. "You can do this, Gohan! Bring home another win so we can face off in the next rounds!"
18 frowned. "That's mighty assumptive. I'm going to kick the shit out of you."
Goku stuck his tongue out. "Bring it!"
As Goku and 18 began another playful argument, Piccolo turned his gaze to Shin and Kibito. Shin nodded at him, looking grave. Piccolo nodded right back. He and the purple elf were sharing some form of unspoken telepathy. Without even a mental voice, Piccolo understood what was to come.
Outside, Vale cried out. "Now, would the final two fighters please report to the ring so that we may begin the final match of the first round!"
Gohan was the first to go, double-slapping his cheeks for good measure and marching out to the cheers of the crowd. After one last shared look, Kibito departed from Shin's side and walked out to the ring.
Once those two had departed, the room was left barren of all the lesser additions to the tournament. The only people present were Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, Vegeta, Tien, Android 17, Android 18... Shin himself.
Immediately, the short purple man marched over to the group. Krillin tensed up, pressing his hand to the side of his head. 18 gripped her fists, wanting to pummel the little bastard into the ground. Shin walked past them both until he was right next to Goku. "Son Goku, I am the Supreme Kai. We have much to discuss."
Goku nodded. "Figured as much. I recognized Kibito's name from a story King Kai told me. And something about you has felt off since I first saw you..."
Goku turned to the Supreme Kai. "Sup?"
Krillin flinched.
18 looked confused.
17's gaze hardened.
Tien folded his hands behind his back.
Piccolo crossed his arms.
Vegeta glared down his nose at the Kai.
The Supreme Kai, Shin, smiled very briefly, then his look turned grave once more. "I require your help to stop the end of this universe."
In the tournament ring…
As the two fighters took their positions in the ring, Vale quickly introduced them both. "Ladies and gentlemen! On this side of the ring, may I introduce to you the Great Saiyaman! Typically a masked superhero in Satan City, the Saiyaman is there to protect and serve his community! In spite of a rocky start with a rather cliche performance, his young man has quickly worked his way into the hearts of civilians and police alike! Today, we see this young man test his mettle against true competition here in the big leagues!"
Then the announcer motioned to the other side. "And here we have Kibito! Another mysterious newcomer to this tournament, his towering frame and cold demeanor was enough on its own to make his opponent back down in the preliminaries! And now he's aiming for the gold! Who will win this match?! It's anyone's guess as these two fresh faces face off!"
Gohan took a fighting stance. Kibito remained in his neutral position. Vale nodded to both. "Fighters! Let the eighth and final quarterfinal match of the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament BEGIN!"
In the crowd...
Mr. Satan sat on his throne, a miserable look on his face. He was barely listening to the match as he contemplated what his next move was going to be now that he had delivered his apology. Honestly, what would Miguel do right now?
As the champ brooded, the Z-Spectators watched on further up in the crowd. They were all cheering for Saiyaman (even though he was no longer disguised) with all the gusto they could spare.
Erasa looked exhausted, but she smiled as Goten and Chika cheered for their big brother. "I hope this is a good match for Gohan. He needs this."
Sharpner sighed, his lower eyelids still a bit puffy. "Look at our dorky little superhero down there. He better make this match good~"
Everyone was settling in for the final match, when a voice suddenly cried out that made several of them jolt in their seats. "DID I MISS ANYTHING?!"
Everyone turned, Erasa and Sharpner both going wide-eyed, to see Videl standing there. Dressed in clothes borrowed from Hiki, including a pair of slacks and a Mr. Satan brand FIGHT double-layer shirt, Videl looked better than she had in a while. Not only were all her grievous injuries gone, but she was practically radiating some energy that Sharpner and Erasa, at the very least, couldn't define. Both the teens stammered. "V-V-V..."
Raditz, showing an honest-to-goodness smirk, turned to the girl. "You're looking well. And no, you haven't missed any of Gohan's match. Did you enjoy your tea?"
Videl smiled at Raditz, but then turned her attention to the ring, barely noticing as Erasa suddenly cried out and wrapped her arms around her neck. Videl was tense. "Gohan is fighting one of those weirdos..."
In the tournament ring…
As the crowd cheered and clapped, ready for another excellent match, Kibito stood still as a sturdy tree. Gohan cocked his head, thinking to himself. 'What is this guy's deal? I feel no bloodlust. Is he not going to-'
Kibito spoke in a clear, firm voice. He spoke with such depth and volume that the entire stadium could hear his words. "Show me the power that truly vanquished the demon known as Cell! Show me your Super Saiyan!"